Things To Do This Weekend In New York City & Roosevelt Island -Planetarium Party, Facial Hair Contest, Celebrate St. Patrick's Day & Midwife's Tale

You Tube Video of Monkey River Dance

Looking for fun or interesting things to do on Roosevelt Island or in some other part of New York City this weekend? Here are some suggestions.

On Friday night, start your weekend with music and dance under the planets and stars at the Rose Center for Earth and Science at the American Museum of Natural History.

THE FADER PRESENTS ONE STEP BEYOND
Launch your weekend with drinks and dancing at the most explosive party this side of the Milky Way. See and be seen under the stars as live bands, DJs, and VJs present the hottest music and project dynamic visuals at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Cocktails keep the party going.

For Saturday, show off your Grizzly Addams look at the New York Beard and Moustache Championship. According to Brownstoner:

The NYC Beard & Moustache Championships is coming to Brooklyn this Saturday, March 14. Contestants will be divided into eight categories: Full Beard Natural, Full Beard Freestyle, Patchy Beard, Recession Beard, Goatee, Moustache, Sideburns, and Ladies Artificial. Besides the awesome beards, there will be live music, stand-up comedians, and burlesque dancers. It will be happening at Public Assembly located at 70 North 6th Street in Williamsburg.

On Sunday, start your St. Patrick's day a couple of days early with these suggestions from Free NYC:

The Irish Arts Center Annual St. Patrick’s Open Day is a "free family event, where the Irish Arts Center opens its doors and schedules a day of Irish music, dance, face painting, Irish language workshops for children and adults, a tin whistle workshop, film and much more by way of inviting New York to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with us. It is a great way to share Irish arts and culture to a younger generation (goes a long way towards teaching that there is more to the Irish than green beer)."

And:

St. Patrick's Day isn't all about green beer ya know, there are parades too! The Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off at 1:00pm at Propsect Park West and 15th Street. It heads down 15th St. to 7th Ave., along 7th Ave to Union St., up Union St to Prospect Park West and along Prospect Park West to 15th St

On Roosevelt Island this weekend, the Farmers Market will be open as usual on Saturday as is Gallery RIVAA, the Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association. Gallery RIVAA is exhibiting a new group show titled Vernissage 8 and is holding an opening reception on Saturday night from 6 - 9 PM. On Sunday at 2 PM, come celebrate Women's History Month at the Gallery RIVAA with the showing of the movie A Midwife's Tale. According to the NY Times Spare Times:

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHwill be celebrated with the screening of “A Midwife’s Tale,” about the life of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century New England midwife, on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association Gallery, 527 Main Street, Roosevelt Island; the film will be introduced by Megan Elias, an assistant professor of history at Queensborough Community College. Sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation and the Roosevelt Island Historical Society.

RIOC has produced a great self guided tour map (PDF File) of Roosevelt Island for any visitor or resident looking to stroll the Island and learn something more about it.

Good weekend transportation news. The MTA is reporting normal Roosevelt Island F Train subway service in both directions and RIOC is not reporting any Tram service advisories either.

Check out some other ideas on what to do in New York City this weekend from the NY Times Urban Eye, NY Post Weekend Calendar, and Newyorkology.